Page projector for recorders



Feb. 11, 1936. J, w, LO G ET AL 2,030,821

PAGE PROJECTOR FOR RECORDERS Filed Feb. 20, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 1 awwewbozs J.W.LONG E.R.WHEELER 33 BZIM 61mm;

Feb. 11, 1936. V J w N ET AL I 2,030,821

PAGE PROJECTOR FOR REGORDERS Filed Feb. 20, 1961 3 Sheets-:Sheet 2 FIG. 2'

IN LAYING A FIRM FOUNDATION f 22 NORMALTIMES ALTHOUGH MUCH g W E ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE THE TASK zqe EN COMPLETED. HOWEVER SENTIMENT GREATLY IMPROVED SINCE THE START OF THE 2| 7 u NEWYEARANDOPITIMISMISAGAIN COMINGINTO l l ii E l:l l ILL E51- la 33 62 I r l 23 [51W i l6 l5 I4 32 24 I 2 lo r E 26 27 36 34 3| no 35 7 I2 a 38 49 a Z 39 a: l I E R as I n L :E l I Q5 1 E h m YEE I I l I Q- I r m m r 40 w (II I h r! Feb. 11, 1936. J. w. LONG ET AL 2,030,321

PAGE PROJECTOR FOR RECORDERS Filed Feb. 20, 1951 s sheets-sheet s v anocuto'zs J. \N. LONG E. WHEELER FIG. 4

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Patented. Feb. 1 1, 1936 PATENT OFFIE PAGE rnomc'ron FOR aneoannns James W. Long, Plainfieid, and Evan R. Wheeler,

North Plainfield, N. 3., assignors to The Western Union Telegraph Eompany, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 20, 1931, Serial No. 517,353

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a printing telegraph projector and more particularly to a page printing telegraph apparatus and associated projecting mechanism for displaying on a suitable screen news items and other information, in enlarged characters.

Various arrangements have been proposed heretofore for projecting a continuous or traveling line of information, such as stock quotations, from a tape telegraph printer or ticker, and in all of such systems, as far as we are aware, there is always an appreciablelag, corresponding to a considerable length of tape, between the printing of a character and its appearance on the screen. This is due to the fact that the printing position of the ticker is so located as to require the tape to be moved a considerable distance beyond the printing position in order to bring each printed character into the field of the projector. Obviously, if the transmission is interrupted at any time, the information contained on the tape between the printer and the projector will not appear on the screen until after the transmission is again resumed. It will be apparent moreover that unless an unduly long screen is provided, which is impractical because of projection difficulties, the amount of information which will be visible at any instant is quite limited.

In order to increase the amount of printed matter visible at any instant on a screen of moderate 'dimensions, it has been proposed to project from the web of a page printing telegraph machine. However, this would greatly increase the lag between printing and projecting,

over that incident to tape projection, since it is necessary, with commercial page printers as heretofore constructed, to complete a relatively large number of lines of printing, in order to move a line clear of the machine and into the field of a projector. This also leaves a corresponding number of lines of printed matter unprojected upon any discontinuance of the telegraph transmission. The resulting interruption of the projection of various items before their completion is annoying'and constitutes a severe limitation on the use of such a projecting scheme.

One of the objects of the present invention is to. overcome these difliculties and to provide a printing telegraph projector of the page or successive line type, in which each line, as soon as it is completed, will move immediately into the field of the projector.

Another object is to provide a page printing telegraph projector in which any desired number of lines may be simultaneously projected and in which there will be no lag between the printing or a line and its appearance on the screen.

Various other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description of our invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of a page printing telegraph projector embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure '1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view approximately on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view partially cut away of a projecting cabinet enclosing the apparatus of Figures 1, 2, and 3.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2, and 3, we have shown a page printing telegraphprojector comprising a printing mechanism A, paper takeup mechanism B spaced thereabove, and a projecting system C, interposed between the printing mechanism and takeup mechanism. The invention is shown with special reference to a page ticker of the Burry type, such as that disclosed in United States PatentNo. 680,693, of August 20, 1901, although it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to recorders of this type, but may be employed with recorders of other forms, such as type bar printers, chemical recorders, etc.

The complete Burry page printer is not shown, since it is well known in the art, but only so much thereof is included, together with the modifications thereof made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, as is necessary for a complete understanding of the invention.

-The operative parts of the printing telegraph machine are conveniently arranged on or between v three vertical plates or frames H), H, and i2 40 (Fig. 2) which are mounted on a suitable base l3 preferably of insulating material.-

The type by which the printing is done are arranged on the periphery of a type wheel I4 fixed to a hub l5, slidably mounted on a triangular shaft l6, journalled in brackets l1, l8 and IS, on the frame plates III, II and i2, respectively.

The shaft is rotated to bring any desired character to the printing point, and the type wheel is moved along the shaft, step by step, to eifect the letter spacing.

For the purpose of rotating the shaft, it is provided between the frame plates Ill and II with a. pinion 2U, meshing with a gear 2| driven by a coiled spring (not shown) which is kept under 55 tension by line signals through a magnet 22!, as is well known to those familiar with this type of printer.

The rotation of the shaft it and the type wheel i4 is made step by step by means of an escapement wheel 23 fixed on the shaft it. The escapement wheel has staggered teeth on opposite sides of its periphery and co-operates with a vibrating tongue 24, constituting the armature of a polarized magnet 25, composed of two coils 26 and 21 and a permanent magnet 28 secured to the frame plates it and M. Currents of different polarity flowing through the coils will therefore cause the tongue 24 to vibrate, thereby releasing the escapement wheel and allowing the type wheel and shaft to rotate step by step to bring the desire character to the printing point.

A magnet 29 provides the motion for shifting the type wheel along the shaft it to effect the letter spacing, as will now be explained.

Below the type wheel shaft it is a second triangular shaft 30 journalled in the frame plates M and 32 in such a manner as to permit slight movement of rotation, and carrying a sliding sleeve 38 provided with arms 32 extending "upwardly into engagement with an enlargement $3 of the type wheel hub 85 on opposite sides thereof, so that the type wheel can rotate with its shaft but will move axially on the shaft as the sleeve 3i is shifted across the machine. This sleeve is connected to two cords 34 and 35 extending in opposite directions over pulleys t5 and 3? to winding drums 38 and 39, so that the sleeve and with it the type wheel, will be drawn to the right or left according to the direction of rotation of the drums.

The drums 38 and 39 are fixed on a shaft do on which a ratchet wheel fit is also fixed. This ratchet is actuated, clockwise as viewed in Figures 1 and 3, by a hooked pawl d2 pivoted at its upper end to an arm to rigid with a shaft to to which the armature Q6 of the magnet 29 is secured. When the armature it is depressed, the consequent upward swing of arm M raises the pawl 42 past one tooth on the ratchet, and when the arm M is pulled down by the retractile spring M, the downward thrust of the pawl it turns the ratchet M, and with it shaft it, and winding drums 3t and 39, through an angle equal to the width of one tooth, thus shifting the type wheel a distance equal to one letter space along the shaft H5. Backward movement of the ratchet is prevented by a holding pawl fill normally held in engagement with the ratchet by a light spring 58.

The rightward travel of the type wheel serves to apply tension to'the spring to coiled around the shaft to, for the purpose of returning the type wheel to initial position to the left of the frame at the completion of each line. lit will therefore be seen that if at any time the pawls t2 and ill are simultaneously disengaged from the ratchet ii, the spring 49 will instantly revolve the drums 38 and 39 in the opposite direction, thus winding the cord upon the drum 38 and unwinding it from; the drum 39 so as to return the type wheel to its initial position.

The return of the type wheel to its initial position should take place from any desired point in the type wheels path, at the will of the sending operator. The pawl Q2 and detent ill are thrown out of engagement with the ratchet wheel at for this purpose by means of an arm 5!] fixed on the,

shaft 5! and having a pin 52 which engages with pawl 42, and by an extension 53 of adetent 54 which engages beneath the tall 55 of the detent aosaeei M when the shaft 5! is turned clockwise, thus freeing the shaft 40 and permitting the spring 49 to exert the power stored therein to reverse the travel of the type wheel. The mechanism for operating the shaft 5| is fully disclosed in the aforesaid Burry patent and therefore is not shown herein.

The paper on which the printing is done is preferably in the form of a continuous strip wound into a roll 60 carried on a spindle 6! removably mounted in suitable bearings carried by the plates H and 92.. From the roll the paper passes upwardly over roller 62 and beneath roller 63, both of which are journalled in plates 64 carried by the side frames H and i2. The paper passes between the type wheel l4 and the printing bar or plates 65, and continues vertically upward from the roller 63 to a roller 66, and thence across a tensioning roller ti, mounted in brackets 58 carried by the side plates il and 42. From the roller ti, the web may pass to any suitable winding mechanism, not shown. The roller 61 is maintained under constant rotative force by a constantly running motor 69 having a friction or slip clutch it) gearedby the gears H, l2, l3, and lit to the roller 61.

A pressure roller I26 engages the web substantially centrally thereof and holds it in engagement with the roller 61. The roller 926 is mounted on a shaft I21, journalled in spaced arms i28 pivoted at I29 to the side plates it and if. A coiled spring. H30 urges the roller H26 into contact with the roller 61.

With the relatively wide web required for page projection, it is necessary to maintain the web perfectly taut and even through the field of the projector. Difliculty has been experienced inobtaining the required evenness of feed when the tension'is applied to the web at each side or continuously across the roller 51, due to slight misalignment of the rollers 63 and El. It has been found, however, that when the pressure roller H6 is applied to the central zone only, of the web, that the web will be advanced evenly across the projection field.

The lower roll 60 is normally held against rotation by the pawl 54 engaging in the teeth of the ratchet wheel it carried by the roll 60.

It is obvious that the paper should be advanced one step at each return of the type wheel to its left hand or initial position. The ratchet wheel l5 and the detent 56 form part of an escapement mechanism by means of which the web 16 is permitted to be unwound from the roll by the pull exerted thereon by the motor 69 whenever the type wheel is returned to its initial position. A

lever 'i'il is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin.

58 projecting from the side of plate I l and is connected with the detent 54 by a link 59. The rear end of the lever ll! has an arm pivoted thereto at 86, and a spring 82, fastened to the lever H and hooked'to the arm 80, acts to move the arm in a plane parallel to the plane of the wheel 15 and away from the detent 54. A stop screw 83 adjustable in a standard 84 rising from the base it, serves to limit the rearward motion of the arm til under the influence of spring 82. The arm 80 has a slotted lower end and a pawl carrier at is guided vertically in said slot and is held upward by a spring 86. The working tooth 81 on the carrier 85 is normally out of engagement with the teeth of the wheel 15. Whenever the shaft 5| is rocked clockwise, the detent 54 is removed from engagement with the wheel 15 and through the link 19, lever Ti, arm 80, and spring 86,

2,080,821 the pawl 81 is drawn up into engagement with the teeth of wheel E5. The detent 54 by this same movement is not fully withdrawn from engagement with the wheel '45 until after the pawl til engages therewith. As soon as detent 54 releases the wheel 15, the web I6 is drawn upward by the action of the motor 69 until the arm 99 is arrested by engagement with a stop member 90.

Inasmuch as the roll decreases in size as the paper is drawn therefrom, it is necessary that the pawl 81 have a variable throw in order that the lines of printing may be uniformly spaced upon the paper. The means for governing the motion of the pawl 9i circumferentially of the wheel I is controlled by the diameter of the roll, so that as the roll decreases in size, the throw of the pawl increases. The stop member 99 is mounted upon a slide 9i, which has an arm 92 adapted to rest on the top of the paper. The slide 9i moves in a vertical groove 93 in the side of the plate ii, and is held in place by one or more bars 94.

The slide 98 and its stop arm 90 fnove in a vertical line while the surface of the arm '89, which co-acts therewith, is inclined to the vertical so that as the stop arm 99 moves down, the arm 80 has more throw before it is arrested by the stop arm 99, and thus the feeding of the paper is substantially uniform as the diameter of the roll decreases.

The platen comprises a metal bar 65 flattened on one side and carried between a pair of ears 95 (one only being shown) at opposite ends of the bar 96 which extends transversely across the machine. At one end the bar 96 has an arm 91 attached thereto, the arm being bent at right angles and passing through an aperture in the plate II and being provided at its end with a tooth or pawl 98. The platen assembly is pivoted to plate H by a pin 99 and is pivoted at a corresponding point at the opposite side of the machine in an adjustable bracket H10 carried by the plate 64, which in turn is secured to the side plate I2. A shaft till journaled in the plate II is provided with two ratchet wheels I92 and M3, each having an equal number of teeth. The ratchet wheel H93 co-acts with the pawl 98 to lift the arm 91 and thus to propel the platen against the type wheel against the tension of a spring N14. The ratchet E92 is actuated at suitable times by means of a pawl I95 pivotally connected to a lever I06 fast on a shaft I01, journaled in brackets E98. Shaft lfl'l has an arm I99 fast thereto, carrying the armature of the magnet 22.

Whenever the magnet 22 is energized, the armature is moved downwardly thus raising the pawl B05 and turning the ratchet. wheel I02 the space of one tooth and thereby turning ratchet wheel H93 an equal angular distance to actuate the platen 65.

The type wheel i4 is inked by an inking roller H9, carried by angular: extensions of the arms 32. The roller H9 is inked in turn by a wick HI, extending from an ink reservoir H2, upon each movement of the type wheel across the machine.

Although circuit arrangements have been devised for operating the printing mechanism from a single circuit, the particular printer shown is normally operated over two independent circuits,

the press magnet 22 and escapement magnet 25 being connected in one circuit and the letter spacing magnet 29 being connected in another circuit.

Current alternations are transmitted over th first line to successively actuate the polarized escapement magnet 25 and thereby step the type wheel to bring the desired character into printing position opposite the platen 65, whereupon a prolonged impulse is transmitted, to which the press magnet 22 responds. As the magnet 22 draws down its armature, the lever 406 and pawl m5 5 are elevated, thereby turning the ratchet wheel H92 and 603, the space of one tooth. The ratchet I93 acts on the pawl 98 and momentarily liftsthe arm 91,throwing the platen 65 against the type wheel. The platen is returned, after them impression has been taken, by the spring M34.

Concurrently with the prolonged impulse, the circuit including the magnet29 is closed to energize magnet 29 thus drawing down the armature 46and thereby raising the pawl 42, so as to position it in the succeeding tooth of the ratchet wheel 4!. After the completion of the printing stroke, the magnet 29 is de-energized, thus per- A second group of current alternations may then be transmitted to the polarized magnet to position the type wheel for the second character I and the printing cycle repeated.

The printing of characters across the web or Page is continued until the end of the line is reached or until it is desired to return the type wheel for the beginning of a new line. The return of the type wheel to start a new line is effected by opening the circuit through the escapement magnet, while that through the magnet 29 is kept closed whereupon, through mechanical connections not shown, the shaft 5| is rocked in a clockwise direction to cause the arm 50 to disengage the pawl 42 and the lever 54 to disengage the detent 41, thus releasing the wheel 4! and permitting the spring 49 to rotate in a direction to wind the cord 34 on the drum 38.

The paper is fed forward one line space during the interval in which the type wheel is being returned to the left, since the lever 54 moves out of engagement with the wheel 15 at the same time that the pawl 42 and detent 4'! are disengaged.

It will be noted that the platen 65 is located adjacent the top of the type wheel l4 and close to the roller 63 and that the space behind the web 76, between the rollers 63 and 66 is unobstructed by any part of the printing apparatus. The for ward feed of the paper is adjusted by means or the stop screw 83 so that as each line of printing is completed it is advanced from beneath the platen to a position just above the roller 63 and within the field of the projecting system C.

All of the characters are disposed in a single 60 row on the face of the type wheel and there is no movement of the paper, either upward or downward, to effect a case shift, during the printing of a line. Consequently the image of the successive lines remain stationary on the screen during the entire period of printing a line, rendering the same easy to read. 1

The illuminating system comprises any suitable source of light H5 (see Figure 4), and a condensing lens series H6 consisting of a pair of 70 plane-convex lenses ill and H8 contained within a lens holder I 49, carried from the angle members I20 secured to the side plates 8 l and I2. A water cell may be provided between the lenses i ill and H8 if desired. The lens H8 is substantially 75 co-extensive with the area of the web 16 to be projected and serves in conjunction with the lens H! to direct the light from the light source uniformly over the surface of the web. It is understood, of course, that the web is composed of some I suitable transparent or translucent material,

such as specially prepared paper, cellophane or similar material. Obviously, in place of transmitting the light throughthe web, the printing may. be projected. by reflection from the web, in which case an opaque web would be used.

Located at the opposite side of the web from the condensing lens system and at the proper focal length therefrom is'an objective lens series if i, of any suitable type. The printing and pro A jecting apparatus is arranged in the base of a cabinet M2, the light passing from the lamp Hi5 towards the rear of the cabinet, through the condensing lens series, web l6 and objective lens series an. The image is reflected upward by a soon as the printing of the line is completed,

not leave any unprojected printed there is substantially no lag between printing and projection and therefore the transmission may be interrupted at the completion of any line without leaving printed matter on the web still unprojected.

It is obvious that the last-character of each line will pass into the field of the projector directly after printing. The same apparatus may also i be employed as a tape printer by eliminating the mechanism for shifting the type wheel transversely of the tape and advancing the tape after printing each character. In this event, each characterpas it is printed, will'be brought directly into the field of the projector.

With the arrangement of .platen and type wheel shown, the spacing of the printed lines, in order to bring each line into the field of the projector as it is completed, corresponds approximately to double spacing. This spacing is, preferred in order to render the projected image easily readable at a distance. If desired, however, the spacing may be adjusted for other interline distances, as for instance, single spacing, in which case there will be one line lag between printing and projecting. However, since it is desirable toseparate each paragraph or item by double spacing, it is evident that interruptions in transmission between separate paragraphs will matter on the web,

It will be noted, therefore, that we have produced a' printing telegraph page projector irr Obviously various changes and modifications I field of said projector.

may be made in the apparatus disclosed and vs.- rious forms of printing and projecting apparatus employed without departing from the invention andwe contemplate all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of theappend ed'claims. Y

What we claim, is:

l. A printing telegraph projector comprising a i type'printingmechanism,a transparent or translucent web, means for printing transversely of said web in successive lines, a projecting apparatus disposed above said printing mechanism and arranged to project light through said web and means for feeding said web so as to bring each line of printing in a single step directly from the printing position into the field of said projector.

2. A printing telegraph projectorcomprising a type page printing telegraph mechanism, a web therefor, a projecting system .disposed above said printing telegraph mechanism and arranged to project light through said web and means for feeding said web in a continuous movement from the printing position into the field of said projector. I

3. A printing telegraph projector comprising type printing telegraph mechanism, a web therefor, a projecting system disposed above said printing mechanism, means for'printing on said web and means for feeding said web outside of the field of the projector from the printing position into the field of,said projector without intermediate printing thereon.

4. A printing projector comprising a type page printing machine having a definite line. printing position, a web, a take-up mechanism for said web spaced above said machine, a projecting apversely of said web in successive lines, a platen normally spaced relatively close to said type wheel and movable thereagainst by a relatively short stroke, a projector having an unobstructed field extending adjacent to said type wheel and disposed thereabove and means for feeding said web through said field.

6. In combination a printing telegraph machine having a radially stationary type wheel, 'a movable platen cooperating therewith to effect printing and a. web extending between said type wheel and platen,'a projector disposed above said printing machine and having a field extending closely adjacent said type wheel and means for deflecting the web from adjacent said platen into the field of said projector.

'7. In combination a printing telegraph machine having a type carrier, a platen normally relatively closely spaced therefrom and a web extending across said platen, a projector disposed above said printing mechanism and having a field extending closely adjacent the printing position of the machine and means for deflecting said web from adjacent said printing position into the JAMES W. LONG. EVAN R. WHEELER. 

